We opened our first bottle from Domaine Viret tonight … the ENERGIE 2019. Get excited because this wine has “blockbuster” written all over it. A quaffable yet serious wine that renders its Syrah component with exceptional elegance and purity. “Energie” offers formidable value at its price level. I suggest everyone on the sales squad sample this wine quickly because I predict it will find followers rapidly. I have been awaiting the arrival of the Viret container with more than usual eagerness because I wanted proof that my enthusiasm borne from the visit to the estate early this year was warranted. Now, that proof is made manifest with this gorgeous bottle of wine … simple in its demeanor but quite ready to hit above its weight. Very exciting addition to the portfolio … see the photo below.
For the third of the Domaine Viret wines we drank over this weekend; this is the 2000 vintage Saint-Maurice Cotes du Rhone and it is sensational drinking right now … very much at its sweet spot; carries 15.5% and offers compelling proof that high alcohol is not necessarily the doomsday scenario that many think is the given result; coffee, tobacco, earth notes with excellent grip remaining on the palate; for me this is classic southern Rhone at its best; I could not be happier with the addition of this estate to the portfolio. Do your best clients a favor and spread the word.
NIR
